By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 776 pages
of 776
Word name, English
"love, respect. worship"
With lofty word names like Chosen, Blessing, Halo, and Haven in vogue, Adore feels like it could fit right in. With possible spiritual undertones and a sense of self-confidence, Adore also sounds…
French literary nickname
"little thing"
Cosette is best known as the heroine of Les Miserables . In the Victor Hugo novel, Cosette was the nickname given to the girl named Euphrasie by her mother. Although Hugo invented the name, some…
English, diminutive of Dorothy
"gift of God"
Sweet and cosy with a touch of sass, this nickname-y choice was a familiar option up until the sixties in the US. Then, for a while, it was a bit of a one-person name, associated with singer Dolly…
Hebrew, Norwegian variation of Elina
"oak tree; bright, shining light"
Eila is a Hebrew name heard in Israel. The name also has roots in Finland and Norway, where it's derived from Elina, a variation of Helen, or from Aila, a form of Helga. Eila could gain attention as…
English surname
"rock hill or army hill"
A glamorous but earthy sounding surname style name, Harlowe is currently less popular than Harlow, though the -e ending might soften it a little.
Modern invention, from Hebrew and Arabic
"God's ascent; lofty, exalted"
Also appearing as Jaliyah and Jaleah, Jalayah is mostly likely to be another variation of the popular Aliyah, which has both Hebrew and Arabic origins. In this case, the sounds of Amaya and Alaya…
Greek
"beautiful voice"
Original form of the more familiar Calliope, the muse of epic poetry. A calliope is a musical instrument sometimes called the steam organ, frequently found on carousels. With its rhythmic sound, this…
Variation of London, English place name
An extra feminized version of London, only recorded as a girl name in the US.
Variation of Millie, English diminutive of Mildred or Millicent
"gentle strength; strong in work"
Milly and her more popular sister Millie are adorable Old Lady nickname-names springing back to life. Nearly 100 baby girls were named Milly, just Milly, last year, and Millie is in the US Top 500.…
Latin
"she who brings victory; true image"
Androgynous nickname for Veronica, Rhonda or Rona. Traditionally a male nickname for Ronald, Ronnie s finding new life as a girl's name amid the rising trend of boyish nicknames for girls. With its…
Variation of Sheila
Shayla first gained traction in the US during the 1970s, finally reaching its peak of Number 268 in 1999. Since then, this name has been on the decline, dropping to Number 988 in 2016, a nearly 200…
Aysha is a feminine name with Arabic origins, traditionally spelled as 'Aisha' or 'A'isha,' meaning 'alive' or 'she who lives.' It holds special significance in Islamic culture as it was the name of…
Spelling variation of Brinley, combination of Brynn and Lee
"burnt clearing; hill + meadow"
One of many variations of the name Brinley, with its on-trend -lee ending and inclusion of the "Brynn" sound. This form has never been in the US Top 1000, though Brynlee, Brinley, and Brynleigh are.
Variation of Helen, Greek
"torch; shining light"
The Hellen spelling of this ancient Greek name refers directly to the Hellenes, another name for the Greek people. The mythological Hellen, related to the sun god Helios, was actually male, though…
Variation of Ivy, botanical name
Lengthens the popular Ivy, but why? About 100 baby namers in the US last year found a reason.
Italian or Chinese
"God is gracious or home, family"
Jia might be considered a spelling variation of Gia, an Italian feminine form of John as a shortening of Gianna or Giovanna. Jia might also be the anglicized form of many Chinese names, which have…
English
"God is gracious"
Iconic folk singer Joni Mitchell lends this vintage nickname a cool, bohemian feel, while the streamlined spelling feels more contemporary and confident than the sweeter, cosier Joanie. While it may…
German, Russian, Polish, Scandinavian variation of Clara
"light"
German, Slavic and Scandinavian form of Clara, which is a Top 100 girl name in multiple European countries, including Austria, Croatia, Iceland and Poland. While Clara is fashionable in the US, the…
Variation of Watin, Arabic
"aorta"
Also spelled as Watin, this distinctive Arabic name has the unusual meaning of "aorta", referring to the main artery of the heart. More symbolically, you could say it means "life-line", as the aorta…
English, shortened version of Augustine, Latin
"great, magnificent"
More often used as a boys' name, parents have also been choosing Austin for their little girls - as the 176 female Austins born in the US in 2022 demonstrate. May we suggest the literary version…
